Veterans gather on former Flanders battlefield to salute statue to Black Watch heroes

PIPE major plays Lochaber No More as memorial is unveiled to mark sacrifice by soldiers of Scots regiment.

A PIPE major played a haunting lament as hundreds of ­veterans gathered at a service to unveil the statue of a Black Watch soldier on a former Flanders battlefield yesterday.

Under a blue sky, many who had made the pilgrimage to Ypres in Belgium shed a tear as they reflected on the sacrifice made by the Scots regiment’s soldiers whose bravery helped steer the course of World War I.

The 15ft bronze statue, designed by Edinburgh sculptor Alan ­Herriot, was officially unveiled at the corner of a quiet wood – the scene of the Battle of Nonne ­Bosschen – which marked a ­critical point in the war.

The hour-long service, marking the centenary of World War I, honoured the 8960 dead soldiers and more than 20,000 who were wounded at the spot in 1914.

Pipe Major Alistair Duthie plays Regimental lament Lochaber No More

­Chairman of the Black Watch Association Colonel Alex Murdoch said: “It was an ­emotional service. We thought now was the time to have a proper memorial to the fallen, not only for those in the area but to the 8960 who died from the regiment.”

Veterans of conflicts including World War II, Korea, ­Afghanistan and Iraq paraded to the memorial. The oldest was former Black Watch soldier Major Peter Watson, 93, from ­Surrey, who served at El Alamein in Egypt.

They were led by 60 pipers from the ­Belgian Red Hackles, the ­Passchendale and the Field ­Marshal Haig Pipes & Drums and accompanied by three pipers from the Black Watch.

One of the most emotional moments was when Black Watch Pipe Major Alistair Duthie played regimental lament Lochaber No More.

Black Watch statue made by sculptor Alan Herriot

The regiment’s last three­ ­colonels – General Andy Watson, who unveiled the statue, ­Brigadier Gary Barnett and ­General Sir Alistair Irwin, who read the poem In Flanders Fields – attended the service of ­dedication, conducted by the Rev Alex ­Forsyth.

Wreaths were laid at the foot of the statue. The ceremony was also attended by Belgian dignitaries and hundreds of locals.

Murdoch said: “The position that’s been selected was known as Black Watch Corner and was where the First Battle of Ypres was fought.

“The Black Watch had been reduced to 200 men by that time but they stopped the Prussian Guards who, had they broken through, would have reached the Channel Ports and that would have been the end of World War I.

“It was a key battle and because of that we thought it was the right ­position to erect the memorial.”